Fence



Patented Sept. 20, I898.

M. STEFFEE.

F E N C E (Application filed Jan. 21, 1898.)

(No Model.)

A TTOR/VEYS.

NITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

MANSON'STEFFEE, OF AKRON, OHIO.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,186, datedSeptember 20, 1898.

Application filed January 21, 1898. Serial No. 667,439. (lilo model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MANsoN STEFFEE, residing at Akron, in the county ofSummit and State of Ohio, have invented anew and usef ul Improvement inFences, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in portable fences, having for an objectto provide a fence so strengthened by truss-wires that it can be madevery light and at the same time strong, and having for further objectsto provide convenient slip panels or gates and corner-panels which maybe set at any suitable angle; and the invention consistsin certain novelconstructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the fence. Fig. 2 isa cross-sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail crosssection on aboutline 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating theconstruction at the upper part of the ends of the panels.

My fence, as shown, has the main panels A formed with end battens B,lapping on opposite sides of the fence-bars O O, which are extended attheir ends beyond the battens B, as shown at 0 Between the battens, attheir upper ends, I provide short lap extensions 0 corresponding to theextensions 0 the extensions'O O of the meeting panels lapping alongsideeach other, as shown. The top rail D is placed flatwise upon the endbattens B and extensions 0 and also upon the central battens 13-,between the upper ends of which are placed the short cleat-bars B whichbear beneath the top rail D and are secured thereto by thestirrup-clamps B as shown. The space between the bars 0 O and betweenthe bars 0 and the top rail is filled with lengths of wire E, which maybe barbed or plain or partly barbed and partly plain, both forms beingshown. It will be understood that the number of strands of wire may bevaried according to the purpose for which the fence is intended and,presenting but little surface to the wind, forms a strong, light, andeffective fence.

At its top each panel is braced bytrusses F, extending between thecentral batten and the end battens, and these trusses may be formed of asingle wire passing from end to cent' main panel.

end of the panel and at f over the rail above the cleat-bar B The endsof the trusses F may be held between the lap extensions C and the toprail, as shown. This permits the use of a comparatively light top railwithout impairing the strength of the fence. Diag onal truss wires Gextend from the end battens downward and inward, passing under thelowerv bar 0 at points near the central batten B, giving strengthandrigidity to the panel.

In fitting the main panels together their end extensions are lapped, andstakes H are crossed immediately below the extension 0 and so supportthe panels, such stakes being preferably connected at their upper endsabove the extension 0 by a wire or chain H and resting at their lowerends on the ground.

The slide-panel I has end extensions I, corresponding to the extensions0 O of the main panel, and is arranged to slide in guideways J, formedat the end of the panel J, crossed stakes being provided to support theend of the panel J and the end of the adja- This slide-panel isconvenient to permit the passage between the fence of persons or stockwhen desired and also enables the fitting of fences between any twopoints. 7

The corner-panel K includes the bar-sections K, connected by lapextensions with the end panels A, such panels K being connected at theiradjacent ends by wires K fastened at their middles to a post K which maybe driven in the ground. This construction of corner-panels enables theformation of corners at any desired angle and is 'a cheap andeasily-constructed corner which may be readily applied and removed inthe construction and takingdown of the fence, which is important inportable fences.

To prevent the fence from sagging endwise,I provide the diagonaloutwardly-inclined braces L, which are detachably secured at their upperends L, so they may be fastened to any panel where needed,which isordinarily only every twelve or fifteen rods.

On the under edges of the end extensions which rest in the fork of thestakes H H, I provide plates N, which prevent the wearing of the endextensions and operate to prevent any slipping in the crossed stakes.

The slide-panel I has its rear end batten provided with a box-loop plateM, the batten of the panel J having a similar boxloop M.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patout, is V 1. The improved fence herein described comprisingthe main panels having end and intermediate battens, the bars at thelower portion of the panel, the wire strands, the top rail, thetruss-wires extending below the top rail and the diagonal truss-wiresextending between the bottom bar and the end battens, such panel beingprovided at its ends with lap extensions, substantially as described.

2. An improved fence comprising panels spaced apart, one of such panelsbeing provided with guideways and the other with lap extensionsprojecting toward the first panel, the crossed stakes bracing the panelprovided with guideways, the stakes crossed below one of the lapextensions of the other panel, and the slide-panel having its barsarranged to slide in the guideways of one panel and provided at its endwith lap extensions corresponding to those of the panel toward which theslide-panel is movable, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fence, a panel having end and intermediate battens and atoprailand provided with trusses extending below the top rail and betweenthe end and intermediate battens, substantially as set forth.

5. In a fence, a corner-batten comprising the bar-sections spaced apartat their adjacent ends, the wires connecting such ends of thebar'sections and the post to which said wires are secured midway betweentheir ends, substantially as described.

6. In a fence, substantially as described,

the combination with the meeting panels having lap extensions at theirends, a top rail and truss-wires held at their ends between the lapextensions and the top rail, of the stakes crossed below said lapextensions, substantially as described.

7 7. The improvement in fences herein described comprising the mainpanels having end battens and lap extensions and provided with top railsand with truss-wires bracing the same, the slide-panel, the panel havingguideways for said slide-panel, the crossed stakes, and the corner-panelcomposed of the bar-sections, the wires connecting the same and the postto which said wires are secured midway between the bar-sections,substantially as described.

MANSON STEFFEE. Witnesses:

OHAs. O. BENNER, ALEX. I'I. GoMMINs.

